City asks to be part of Google trial

On February 17, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

By Tom Nash

The possibility of citywide Internet reaching speeds of 1 gigabit per second has both residents and officials clamoring for Somerville to be among the trial areas for Google's experimental fiber network.

Google, which announced the program on Feb. 10, said it is seeking communities ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 people to install a broadband network that would deliver Internet speeds "more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today."

A post at the Davis Square LiveJournal online community led several residents to reach out to city officials, in addition to submitting their own nominations. A city press release confirmed the mayor's office would respond to Google's offer.

"While it's too early to determine what the longer term plans for Google's FTTH (Fiber-to-the-Home) move will be, any avenue that increases choice for consumers is a good thing," Somerville's Chief Information Officer Karthik Viswanathan said. "We feel Somerville will be a good fit for Google's trial phase, since we are a densely populated community occupying a small area."

The project was a hit with the Board of Aldermen as well, who voted to encourage the city to look into the program at its Feb. 11 meeting.

"It would be revolutionary," Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz said of the service, adding the infrastructure could be installed along the city's rail lines. "We talk a lot about how eight rails lines run through Somerville and we only have one T stop. Maybe this is a way to get something more."

"This is a great idea," said Alderman-at-Large Bruce Desmond, who chairs the Information Technology Committee. "The timing is perfect on it … The city is perfect for what Google's trying to do – plus the fact that it's a great company. It's a win-win situation."

The deadline for interested areas to apply is March 26. More information can be found at www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi/public/options.